Should Newcastle Knights pay $1 million a season to keep Kalyn Ponga?
Newcastle Knights star Kalyn Ponga burst on to the rugby league scene like a one-in-a-million player — but is the 21-year-old worth $1 million a season? LEAGUE CENTRAL went to the heart and soul of Newcastle to find out.
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If Kalyn Ponga had emerged 20 years ago, he would be going this afternoon for a beer with Butts. For this is what happened to young Newcastle players back in the day.
Prodigies, wannabes, even those tough, local boys who forever existed one bad game from a coalmine nightshift.
At some point, all of them sat with prop Tony Butterfield.
An old school Knights bookend who not only earned his 229 appearances the toughest of ways, but was also charged with teaching each new Gen-Xer what the club, and its culture, was all about.
So what we wondered this week, would Buttsy tell Ponga over a Resches?
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Understanding that in recent days, this rising Knights No.1 has been catapulted back into the headlines with his club on a run of six losses, his form chaotic and his management — gasp — asking for the highest contract in the game.
Specifically, $6 million over four years.
Which is no small thing for a fella boasting 45 NRL appearances.
And why all of League Land, overnight, has gathered around the water cooler to debate exactly what this 21-year-old is worth.
Is it $1.5 million annually? Or even seven figures?
Hell, maybe his worth sits at exactly $600,000 — given, you know, it’s the amount on a contract boasting his signature.
Elsewhere, Phil Gould on Channel 9 questioned Ponga’s ongoing impact, Benji Marshall on Fox Sports warned about “paying for potential” while, across the ditch in New Zealand, whispers are once again suggesting interest from a certain Super Rugby franchise.
And all this with Ponga contracted at Newcastle until the end of 2021.
Which is why League Central decided to revive an old tactic once used on young Novocastrians.
We called Butts.
Not only the last prop forward to enter this millennium still headbutting in scrums, but according to fellow Old Boys like Matthew Johns, a footballer who was instrumental in helping make premiership stars from the likes of brother Andrew, Danny Buderus, even Timana Tahu and the Gidley boys.
So as for what this old leaguie, now 53, and having survived a heart attack scare in April, makes of The Ponga Show?
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“I’d say he’s still got shitloads to learn,” Butterfield shrugs.
“Kalyn’s a great kid, wonderful young talent and, undoubtedly, the sky’s the limit for him.
“But he isn’t there yet, and mightn’t be for years.”
So we’re guessing you wouldn’t be paying him $1.5 million a season?
“Of course not,” the Knights great continued. “And from what I know of (Ponga), I’m guessing he’s quite embarrassed with all these headlines.
“Obviously Kalyn’s manager is trying to do the best for his player. I get that.
“Despite being signed to a contract, he’s pushing for an upgrade so calls overs, the Knights call unders and eventually they’ll get themselves to somewhere in the middle.
“But when you’re asking mega money, no, it’s not time for that yet.
“Even in the past few weeks, we’ve seen Kalyn exposed, found out of position. And that’s understandable given the bloke hasn’t yet played even 50 NRL games.
“Right now, he’s still got so much to learn. I just wish everyone would back off on the superlatives.”
Wests Tigers veteran Marshall agrees, telling Tuesday’s NRL360 that he would also warn against a $1 million deal.
“The problem I’ve got is clubs pay these young guys on potential,” Marshall said. “They pay them big money when they haven’t been proven.
“And with that big money comes big expectation from the club and fans.
“So the part where players get to develop … Johnathan Thurston and all the great halves took years to be great at what they are doing.”
But hold off on the Ponga hype?
Yeah, good luck with that.
Understanding that while Melbourne skipper Cameron Smith is the greatest player in the game — now, and potentially ever — there aren’t too many kids racing into the backyard this afternoon to be ‘The Accountant’.
No, they’re all KP.
That livewire Knight with the signature sidestep, spiral and headgear quickly becoming the most sought after NRL commodity.
Which is why Team Ponga want those seven figures.
Reminding that when Newcastle first outlayed $3 million over four seasons for the North Queensland Cowboy, it was dubbed outrageous.
Now though, unders.
Just as before securing this 92kg bundle of NRL potential, Newcastle struggled to sign anyone. Had no marquee man.
But now?
Well, throughout the 2019 Origin series, the Knights boasted five representative players — Ponga, Mitchell Pearce, Dave Klemmer, Tim Glasby and Daniel Saifiti.
So as for what all this, coupled with Ponga’s undeniable talents, would have, say, his own union deem him worth?
“Well, it wasn’t that long ago people were saying nobody should earn a million dollars,” says RLPA president Ian Prendergast.
“So as the economy of the game increases, and player payments increase, the conversation naturally shifts in terms of the ceiling for certain individuals.
“And Kalyn Ponga, he seems a once-in-a-generation player.
“Especially in terms of his natural flair, ability to influence contests and the way everyone’s anticipation is heightened when he gets the ball.
“So like all players, he’s worth whatever somebody is prepared to pay for that.”
And given NRL franchises have been prepared to outlay $1 million annually for the likes of Ben Hunt, Kieran Foran, Ash Taylor and Michael Morgan … well, as one rival NRL manager told us: “I’d certainly be asking for seven figures too”.
Elsewhere, a quick look across the NRL shows some dozen players earning close enough to $1M a year, including the likes of Daly Cherry-Evans, Cooper Cronk, Cameron Smith, James Tedesco, Mitchell Pearce, Sam Burgess and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.
Below that line, another chunk of players sit around the $900,000, boasting names like Tom Trbojevic, Matt Moylan, Shaun Johnson and James Maloney.
So where in all this would you put KP?
An undeniable Next Big Thing who isn’t only making his mark on everything from Origin to Instagram, but has to be one of rugby league’s freshest, most marketable billboards when it comes to promoting shoes, shirts, headgear, watches, sports vehicles, sports programs, streaming channels, everything.
“Oh, Kalyn identifies with young people exactly as I’d expect a kid who was first introduced to me via YouTube,” Butterfield grins.
“It was a few years back, my son showing me some clips and saying ‘Dad, what about this bloke’. I couldn’t believe it.”
And as for what Butts might tell him over a beer?
“Kalyn seems a wonderful kid,” the old prop concludes. “Appears to have a really strong mental mindset too.
“But when a kid in his second year is already being talked up as the GOAT, that brings with it some incredible pressure.
“So my message would be to ignore the white noise.
“Understand that he’s still got a lot to learn. So much to learn.
“In rugby league terms, Kalyn Ponga is still an apprentice.”
Originally published as Should Newcastle Knights pay $1 million a season to keep Kalyn Ponga?
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